Manchester City will try to soften the blow of Shay Given's relegation to the bench by offering the goalkeeper a pay rise and the chance to stay at Eastlands until he turns 39.
Joe Hart's man-of-the match performance in the season opener at Tottenham has placed Given in the role of back-up keeper, a situation which has left the 34-year-old considering his future.
But City will try to entice the former Newcastle keeper to stay by extending his current deal - it has three years left to run - by a further two seasons. Given is also set for an increase on his £80,000- a-week wage packet.
New deal: City want Given to stay at Eastlands
It remains to be seen if he will be tempted by the offer. But having spoken of his desire for guaranteed first-team football, a loan move to Fulham could be his preferred option.
The Irishman finds himself at the centre of a goalkeeping merry-go-round, with Arsenal eager to sign Fulham's Mark Schwarzer.
Given would offer manager Mark Hughes the ideal replacement for Schwarzer but, as yet, the west London side have not received an improved offer from Arsenal after rejecting a £2million bid.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is expected to raise that by a further £500,000 this week although Fulham value Schwarzer at around £4m.
Wenger could, of course, opt to move for Given. But, as is the case with Tottenham's interest in Craig Bellamy, City are unwilling to offload players to their direct rivals for a place in the top four.
The uncertainty over the goalkeeping situation at the Emirates is having a negative effect on Manuel Almunia, who played for Arsenal in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.
Revealing his unrest at the speculation, Almunia said: 'It is so difficult to concentrate because Arsenal are a big club and speculation is always in the news and everywhere. 'If somebody comes in, I will have to talk about my future at Arsenal.'
Come in No 45: Mario Balotelli begins City life by taking shirt off promising youngster Greg Cunningham
Mario Balotelli has begun life at Manchester City by persuading a teammate to give up his own shirt.
The £24m signing has taken the No 45 shirt off 19-year-old Greg Cunningham because it is the same number he wore at Inter Milan.
Of his new City shirt, Balotelli said: 'I have worn the number all my football life and wanted to carry on here at City. Greg was kind enough to swap.'
Republic of Ireland left back Cunningham, who has just signed a new four-year deal, has moved to No 22 in the squad list - the number left behind by his countryman and former club captain Richard Dunne.
City want Robinho sale to fund Luiz signing
Manchester City are hoping to sell Brazilian flop Robinho to wealthy German giants Schalke 04 - and use the cash to make a new bid for Benfica's David Luiz.
Schalke have made a surprise inquiry for Robinho and hinted that they could pay as much as £18 million to take him as a new star signing beside Spanish legend Raul.
The Bundesliga outfit are in the Champions League and have the money to go for Robinho who is back at City after a loan spell at Santos in his homeland.
Robinho would like to go back to Santos but City are keen to recoup some of the one-time record £32.5 million fee they paid for him two years ago - and Schalke's interest is timely.
City are reeling after Benfica quoted them £33 million for Brazilian centre half Luiz. The Portuguese giants are trying to play them off against Chelsea but neither club is willing to go that high.
Robinho had been mentioned as a possible swap for Luiz, but now Schalke are willing to offer cash that gives City more financial muscle to go for the defender and bring him to their all-star squad.
The deal will come down to Robinho's willingness to go to Germany. He had a spell in Spain and England but has always been more settled in Brazil.
However his only chance of going there is if City relent and send him out on loan again, but right now they are playing hard ball as they make a belated attempt to claw back cash from one of their bigger transfer mistakes.
Aston Villa's James Milner gives Manchester City ultimatum over transfer
City told they must complete a deal within 24 hours
Manchester City have been warned they will have to complete the signing of James Milner by Wednesday or face the prospect of the England international remaining at Aston Villa for the rest of the season.
Talks between City and Villa remain ongoing, as they have been for most of the summer, but Milner has now become so exasperated with the speed at which negotiations are being conducted that he is no longer willing to continue playing with his future shrouded in doubt. City have been told that unless they can reach an agreement with Villa within the next 24 hours, Milner will remain in the Midlands and close the door on the summer's longest transfer saga.
Milner's frustration lies with City rather than Villa and he has started to question just how badly the club want to sign him because of the delay in pushing the deal through. The transfer has been held up at City's end because of Stephen Ireland's settlement demands – the midfielder has a little under four years remaining on his contract and has asked for a £2m payoff – but Milner feels that he is being placed in an unfair position by being asked to keep waiting until that situation, which has nothing to do with him, is resolved.
The 24-year-old, who was outstanding for Villa against West Ham United on Saturday when he scored the third goal in a 3-0 victory and left the field to a standing ovation, believes he needs to set a deadline to bring matters to a head. He remains hopeful there will be a breakthrough tomorrow, but if that is not the case, he will board the plane to Austria with the rest of the Villa squad on Wednesday morning for their Europa League play-off first leg against Rapid Vienna on Thursday.
Villa's hierarchy have already given Kevin MacDonald, the club's caretaker manager in the wake of Martin O'Neill's resignation, the go-ahead to pick Milner for the Rapid Vienna game. "If we were going to stop him playing, then we should have stopped him playing in the Premier League because there's probably more chance of him getting an injury in a Premier League game because of the physical contact," MacDonald said.
"If James hasn't gone to Manchester City by the middle of the week, I'm sure he'll want to play, because he just loves playing football, as you saw out there [against West Ham]."
Milner is comfortable with that situation and has already brought his passport into the club in preparation to travel and play. If he features against Rapid Vienna, he would be cup-tied and could potentially be unavailable for 17 matches for City in the Europa League should they reach the final of the competition. That prospect, combined with Milner's threat to pull the plug on the transfer, is expected to lead to a fraught day of negotiations between all parties tomorrow.
Both club's preference is for Ireland to form part of any deal as a makeweight but, should that not be possible, City had previously indicated they were willing to do a straight cash deal, valuing Milner at about £26m. However, City have never been in a rush to complete the transfer, perhaps suspecting Villa would cave in.
Instead, Villa have dug their heels in and rebuilt bridges with Milner. Randy Lerner, the Villa chairman, and Paul Faulkner, the club's chief executive, have spoken to Milner in the past week, strengthening the lines of communication that had broken down after O'Neill provoked a furious row during pre-season when he claimed that the player had told him he wanted to leave the club.
Villa know that Milner's head has been turned and are resigned to losing him if City meet their valuation, but time is fast running out for the world's richest club to show the colour of their money if Ireland refuses to budge on his financial demands.
Harry Redknapp says Craig Bellamy's too good to go down to the Championship
Harry Redknapp has urged Craig Bellamy not to throw away his career by dropping into the Championship to play for Cardiff.
As the Welsh club were on Monday night locked in talks with their Malaysian owners trying to find the money to sign Bellamy on loan, Tottenham manager Redknapp urged him to think twice before joining his hometown side.
Sources in Cardiff claim the player ‘will arrive in the next 48 hours’.
Bellamy is expected to return to training with Manchester City on Tuesday, but is not welcome at the club having fallen out with manager Roberto Mancini, who has made it clear he does not figure in his plans. The player’s actions could be a tactic to force his move away.
Redknapp, preparing for Tottenham’s Champions League qualifier in Switzerland, said: ‘Craig is a Premier League player in my opinion. No disrespect to Cardiff, he should be playing top Premier League football.
‘Good luck to Cardiff but it would be a waste of an outstanding player. He should stay in the Premier League, for sure.’
Spurs and Liverpool have been told by Manchester City that they will not sell Bellamy, 31, to a club they consider to be a top-four Barclays Premier League rival. That could also rule out Everton, leaving Fulham and Celtic hoping that he will have a change of heart and snub Cardiff.
Redknapp does not want to buy Bellamy, but would take him to White Hart Lane on loan. However, he accepts the explosive forward is better than that.
‘Someone will have to end up buying him, unless City loan him to someone like Fulham, I can’t see them loaning him to someone like us. It would be a ridiculous loan.
'He was in the top two-three players last season yet everyone is trying to loan him? They paid £12million, why should they loan him?’
While Bellamy’s career has been dogged by controversy, Redknapp believes the Wales star is still an asset in the top flight.
‘Craig was outstanding last year,’ added the Spurs boss. ‘I tried to sign him when he left West Ham. I was in for him then, and Manchester City beat us to him.
‘He’s a battler. He has a go. Every week you know what you are going to get out of him. You go away from home, you know he is going to be out there running, working, closing people down, putting himself about. You never get an easy game against him.’
Redknapp could be given transfer funds if Spurs get through the Champions League qualifying round, but still said: ‘I’ve got four strikers so what do I do with five?
'Sometimes you can cause yourself more problems than you need. When you have too many around, one or two start getting the hump.’
So what will the Welsh side get for their money?
'I see myself as a different sort of Welsh. Because we (my family) are from Cardiff, we see Wales as Cardiff. This is Cardiff; outside is Wales. It’s a strange one. You are really Welsh, but you’re not, if you know what I mean.
'John Hartson, he speaks fluent Welsh and has tattoos all over him to prove his Welshness. But in my own world, nobody is more Welsh than myself. We are proud people and I am proud to follow Ian Rush, John Toshack, Mark Hughes and John Charles.
'What I say on the pitch is off the cuff, it isn’t premeditated, just a reaction. I have tried to counter it. You name it. I’ve tried it, it just hasn’t worked. I’ve tried to be more mellow but I don’t get motivated then.
'My image is not the greatest, I imagine. You need to know me and understand me, see some of the things I do away from football. Maybe you have to be a fan of me to like me. If you are not, then you won’t.
'I need to win something, that’s my drive. At the end of the day, it’s about winning a trophy. It’s OK being a footballer, but...I feel I have the sort of hunger Roy Keane has.
'Obviously, I am not anywhere near him, incredible player - if I was a quarter of him I’d settle, one of the greats - I just don’t want the game to pass me by, you know?
'It was 1987 (when I went to my first Cardiff game). Cardiff beat Newport 4-1. I remember Paul Wimbleton scored. I enjoyed that. My first ever game.
'And after that, nothing but misery watching Cardiff - with my Dad. But there was the odd Wales game too - Gary Speed’s debut against Costa Rica. I saw that. Dean Saunders scored. I missed the goal, I was trying to climb up where the railway tracks are"
Everton have joined the queue of clubs interested in providing Bellamy with an escape from Eastlands, despite their inability to match the Wales international's current salary. the Guardian
WAG OF THE DAY
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TRANSFER BOLLOX
Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas is set to sign for Juventus on loan for the season, with a view to a full-time £10m switch.
Daily Mirror
But Turkish club Galatasaray hope to fight off Juventus, Sampdoria and AC Milan for England international Jenas, who did not feature in Spurs' 0-0 draw with Manchester City on Saturday. the Sun
Liverpool still hope Javier Mascherano will stay at Anfield but admit they have a private agreement with the midfielder to allow him to leave if the right price is offered. talkshit.co.uk
Chelsea target Neymar, the 18-year-old Santos forward, will decide on Tuesday whether to complete a £24m move to the Premier League. Daily Mirror
Everton are chasing FC Utrecht's attacking midfielder Dries Mertens, but will face competition from PSV Eindhoven and Twente Enschede for the 23-year-old. imscouting.com
Current Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia, meanwhile, will seek talks about his future if Wenger brings in another senior goalkeeper before the transfer window closes.London Evening Standard
Newcastle are close to signing Feyenoord midfielder Leroy Fer - nicknamed the Bouncer because of his powerful physique. Daily Mail
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is ready to smash the club's transfer record again with a £9m swoop for Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega.
Daily Mirror
West Ham's Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami wants to leave West Ham for Roma because he says his family cannot settle in London. Daily Mail
Rangers have handed former Sheffield Wednesday winger Etienne Esajas the chance to earn a contract at Ibrox by taking the 25-year-old Dutchman on trial. (Daily Record)
Hull are ready to send unwanted striker Daniel Cousin to Greek club Larissa and hope his departure will free up funds to let them move for Cardiff forward Ross McCormack and Arsenal striker Jay Simpson. Daily Mirror
Leeds manager Simon Grayson is interested in signing former Aston Villa and Manchester City striker Darius Vassell, who is a free agent. Daily Mail
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway hopes Saturday's 4-0 victory over Wigan will help the club attract new players before the transfer window closes. the Sun
OTHER BOLLOX
Aiden McGeady has revealed he had to leave Celtic because he feared for his safety in Glasgow. The winger flies to Russia on Wednesday to start his new life at Spartak Moscow after joining the Russian side in a £9.5m deal. Daily Record
Blackburn are a takeover target for two wealthy Indian businessmen. Representatives of billionaire Ahsan Aly Syed arrived at Ewood Park on Monday for talks, claiming they will inject £300m into Rovers. They hope to block a bid by rival Saurin Shah, who is due in Blackburn on Wednesday for talks. the Sun
Rovers manager Sam Allardyce will be given £100m to spend on players this season if Ali Syed's proposed bid for the club is successful. Daily Telegraph
Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra and four France team-mates will attend a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday over their role in the players' strike after striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home from the World Cup this summer. the Sun
Unsettled Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia has held crisis talks with club chairman Dave Whelan in an attempt to resolve his future. Daily Mail
Chelsea are keen to help restore Ashley Cole's public image by helping him to lower his profile in a bid to keep the left-back at Stamford Bridge. Daily Mail
Two football fans created a new record by driving to all 20 Premier League stadiums in just over 14 hours. Teacher Paul Cox and friend Luis Felipe completed the 572-mile trip in 14 hours, three minutes and 18 seconds, knocking 45 minutes off Cox's previous unofficial record. (Daily Mirror)
